Italy: Migrants strike against exploitation

Migrant agricultural workers have been on strike in the province of Pavia, Lombardy, north Italy, for just over week now. The reason for the strike action: ‘No exploitation, no slavery,’ say their flyers. The forty Morroccan workers – 10 women, 40 men – have had enough of terrible working conditions of up to 13-14 hours a day, Sundays and holidays included, for backbreaking work in the fields under the scorching sun, without water and food brought from home. They have had enough of unpaid wages stretching back months with many only receiving a 200-300 euros monthly ‘advance’. So a picket line was established on 22 June at the entrance to the farm. ‘They are desperate,’ said Antonio Olivieri, of the CGIL union which has been supporting the workers. ‘It’s a situation of pure slavery and blind exploitation.’ Union reps from the CGIL, CISL and UIL have been meeting representatives of local employers and are set to return to meet with them Monday. Radiogold